Chapter 4: Christmas as a Family

Lily smiled as she heard James roar with laughter and Harry giggle uncontrollably. Christmas had always been a magical time of year for the couple, but now there was something extra special with Harry. He was a blessing that made each day a gift.

"Harry, no!" James cried from the next room. "Don't eat the wrapping paper!"

"James Potter, I could have sworn that I asked you to clean up in here," Lily scolded as she returned to the living room. She knelt down in front of Harry and as gently as possible, pried a piece of wrapping paper from his pudgy hand. Right away, his small face scrunched up, and he began to wail. "Here you go, Harry, play with your new toys," she cooed, as she held up a stuffed gold snitch as big as he head. This did absolutely nothing to calm him down. "James, do you think you could help?"

"What? Oh." He waved his wand lazily, and the mess from opening presents earlier that morning disappeared.

"That's not what I meant! I meant, could you help me with your son!?"
"Well how was I supposed to know that? I can't read your mind!"

"Common sense!" As Lily and James continued to fight, Harry kept wailing at the top of his lungs.

Over all of the noise, there was a pop followed by, "Happy-well, this house doesn't seem very happy at all." James' eyes lit up.

"Padfoot!" he exclaimed as Sirius entered the room. He got up off the couch and gave his best friend a friendly hug.

"What the hell have you done to my godson?"

"Nothing…this time."

"That's right, everything's always my fault," Lily muttered bitterly under her breath.

"No it's not, Evans, that's James and my job." She rolled her eyes. Harry was still whimpering pathetically in search of some sort of attention. "Come here you." Sirius put the package he was carrying on the coffee table and scooped his godson up in his arms. That seemed to do the trick, and he calmed down. "There you go. I honestly don't see why you complain about him being bad, Prongs, he's always good for me."

"Yeah, just wait until you leave, then the real demon comes out."

"Not my godson." He bounced Harry up and down playfully. "Wait until you see what I got you." Harry giggled and clapped his hands cheerfully.

"Oh joy," Lily said sarcastically.

"Lighten up, Evans."

"Sirius, women take on their husbands' last names when they get married."

"Yeah, but this nickname is sentimental. You wouldn't want me to give it up, would you?" She gave Sirius a hateful look, prompting James to step in.

"Please don't fight on Christmas," he interjected.

"Oh, but it's okay for you lovebirds to fight today?" Harry reached up and pulled Sirius' long hair. "Ow! Ow!"

"Oh, watch out, Padfoot, Harry likes to pull hair now," James said as he took back his son.

Sirius rubbed his sore scalp and muttered bitterly, "Yeah, I noticed." Lily couldn't help but laugh at the pleased look on Harry's round face.

After talking and laughing around the fire for nearly an hour, Sirius decided to give Harry his Christmas present and head home.

"Here you go, buddy," he said as he handed over a long, thin package that was poorly wrapped in red paper with a green bow perched lopsidedly on it.

"Love the wrapping job, Padfoot," James joked as he pulled Lily onto his lap.

"Let's see you do a better job," Sirius retorted as he plopped the present down in front of Harry. Right away, he took an intense interest in it. He pulled away the paper, leaving it flung all over the place just like he had down earlier that day. He revealed a working miniature broomstick just his size.

"Great," Lily muttered under her breath.

"Come on, Lils, you've gotta admit that it's cool!" James argued. "Harry's born to fly, it's in his blood." She sighed.

"Fine, but outside with you watching him like a hawk the entire time." Sirius leaned over and ruffled Harry's hair playfully.

"See? I'm the cool one," he whispered.

After Harry was tucked safely into his bed for the night, James and Lily decided to turn in early too.

"Hey James, I was thinking," she said as she slid under the covers.

"Here we go." She shot him a dirty look.

"Maybe after the war ends, we could think about another baby." He got into bed too.

"Harry's still a baby!"

"I know. I'm talking about in a year or two." She paused. "Seeing Harry's face light up today was so amazing." She turned to face him. "Don't you want another baby?" James captured her lips in a tender kiss.

"We'll talk next Christmas, okay?" They both lay down, and Lily rested her head on his chest. They simply lay in each other's arms enjoying each other's company.

The End